Recycling arguments on recycling

Recycling isn't as easy as it sounds, and there are a lot of different views on how efficient it is. With the Coulee set to get a recycling container at the Delano Regional Transfer station, education on recycling is being emphasized.

The topic was discussed at the Oct. 14 Regional Board of Mayors meeting of three mayors, a city administrator, a concerned citizen, the transfer station operator, and a Sunrise Disposal owner who was on the phone.

Kim Christensen of Grand Coulee raised the topic, asking Deon Gotti, the owner of Sunrise Disposal out of Omak, why a recycle container mentioned in the company's previous contract with the area towns, which began in 2010, with a five-year extension in 2015, hasn't been there all this time.

Gotti said it was at the request of the mayors, before he was with the company, and that Sunrise had had a container ready to come to the Coulee but was told not to bring it over at the time.

The conversation then shifted to how recycling bins can become contaminated with garbage from people abusing the service.

Grand Coulee Mayor Paul Townsend asked what the consequences of that are, to which Gotti replied that at some point the recycle center would not accept the loads anymore.

The group emphasized the importance of educating the public on the nuances of recycling before the container arrives at the start of the new contract with Sunrise Disposal in 2020.

Gotti mentioned the example that milk jugs are accepted, but not the caps on top of them.

Randy Gumm, the transfer station operator, made multiple points on the topic of recycling.

He reasoned that if a certain amount of materials were being recycled for free rather than being charged to dump, that would take away revenue from the transfer station.

"We won't know until we see," Townsend responded.

Christensen emphasized the importance of doing what is right, no matter the cost.

"I know that taking money out of the dump is going to cost us money, but we have to really look at things in the long run," she said. "I think we have an obligation to do what is right."

Gumm also believes the recycle bin should be placed outside the gates of the transfer station because bags of materials could pile up outside if people didn't have access to the bin when the station is closed.

Gumm also held a plastic root beer bottle up and said it would require a magnifying glass to look at the bottom of the container and see what number of plastic it is.

Gumm said large users of cardboard, such as the hospital, often fill up the container, resulting in individuals being unable to drop off their own cardboard.

He also said he's seen glass, separated to be recycled, simply dumped at the landfill in Ephrata, and questioned the legitimacy of going through the effort of recycling if that is what happens.

Electric City Mayor John Nordine noted the dynamics of recycling have changed. Materials formerly shipped off to China are no longer accepted there, further complicating recycling efforts.

The Environmental Protection Agency says that in 2015 the recycling rate nationally was 1.16 pounds per person per day, or 8.12 pounds per week.

With Grand Coulee, Electric City, Coulee Dam, and Elmer City having a combined population of about 3,400 (not including areas outside those towns) according to 2017 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, recycling at that rate would produce 27,608 pounds per week, or more than 1.4 million pounds per year.

In 2018, the transfer station took in 6.8 million pounds of garbage, and took in 16,860 pounds of cardboard, 6,280 pounds of metal, 49 refrigerators, and 111 tires, according to data provided to The Star by Powers.

At the current rate of 6.2 cents per pound for garbage, were the transfer station to take in 1.4 million fewer pounds of garbage, and that amount were recycled instead, the transfer station would bring in $86,800 less in revenue. Expenses would also fall as some 700 fewer tons of trash would have to be hauled to the Ephrata landfill.